Internships at Global Policy Forum Europe

General Information on internships

GPF Europe currently has 1-2 intern positions. Applicants interested in starting an internship can submit their application at any time. Applicants are advised to get in touch at least 3 months before the proposed start-date of their internship.

For details on how to apply, please refer to our application guidelines.

We recommend that you write to us first to check what stage of the selection process we are at.

For details on GPF internships in the New York office, please click here.

Global Policy Forum Europe welcomes applications for internships. We encourage qualified undergraduates to apply, as well as graduate students and those between degrees. We welcome students who have studied the United Nations and international organizations, but we consider specialized academic training less important than dedication, intelligence and enthusiasm for learning.

What We are Looking For

GPF gets many applications for internships and only well-qualified, highly-motivated applicants are chosen. The minimum period for an internship with GPF Europe is 12 weeks.

GPF Europe is looking for applicants who are students of Political Science/International Law, Political Economy or International Public Policy Studies. We especially encourage applications from those with international travel and work experience and those with a progressive, egalitarian and global outlook.

We look for those who are highly talented and able to do serious thinking but who are also ready to do more ordinary tasks with a spirit of enthusiasm and cooperation. We also look for those who have shown the most active engagement on policy issues parallel to our interests.

Excellent English and German language skills are required.

Intern Responsibilities

Depending on GPF's priorities and interns' capacities, interns are asked to participate in special thematic projects.

Currently, there are three issue areas:

• International development policy/Financing for Development
• Corporate accountability
• Global Governance/UN reform

Each intern specializes in one or more of these issue areas. Interns may also take up specialized topics such as MDGs, Global Taxes, Natural Resources & Conflict.

Interns are engaged in preparing background information on international policy processes, participating in the preparation of workshops and conferences, writing articles and working papers, and contributing to the GPF Website.

Interns also devote some time to office tasks, such as preparing mailings, helping organize meetings, ordering supplies, or just keeping the printer stocked with paper.

Interns work in close cooperation with the director of GPF's European office and in collaboration with the GPF head office in New York, with other German and European NGOs and international NGO networks.

The European Office of GPF

GPF's European office is located in the centre of Bonn, close to the river Rhine. We share our office space with several development consultants and journalists, the Bonn office of WEED and the office of a German network of women's groups.

The European Office of GPF

GPF Europe expects an intern to stay several months. Those that stay for longer periods of time learn more and have a richer overall experience.

We estimate that monthly subsistence expenses (lodging, transport and food) in Bonn run about 650 Euro.

In general, GPF internships are unpaid . Some interns arrange for subsistence funding from their universities or from foundations.

We try to respond quickly to inquiries. If you do not receive a reply within two weeks, please feel free to follow-up. Those seriously interested can simply forward a full application (see application guidelines), but a preliminary inquiry may save preparation time, in case places are already taken, or your qualifications do not match our needs.

Application Guidelines

Note on Internship Dates

Internships require a minimum commitment of twelve weeks. Generally, we prefer long-term internships and welcome applicants who offer longer time periods. But quality ranks above quantity at GPF. If your availability does not match the time periods above, please inquire about alternatives.

Application requirements:

(1) a letter describing why you are interested in interning with GPF Europe and what special skills or experience you have that would fit with GPF's programs, including the proposed starting and ending dates of your internship.

(2) a resume showing academic accomplishments, work experience, language studies, volunteer experience etc.

(3) a piece of writing (e.g. course paper) showing your writing skills.

Please note: Excellent English and German language skills are essential.

We look forward to hearing from you!